Inspection of a geography department is essential:
A regular inspection of geography department is essential for its efficient running.
A thorough inspection should be carried out at least once a year. The inspection is carried out by a team which must include at least one expert in geography.
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While carrying out the inspection the inspection team should pay special attention to the following points.
(i) Teacher:
The inspection team should see that the geography teacher possesses the required academic and professional qualifications. The team should also pay attention to his teaching method.
The individuality of teacher’s method should be respected and the team if it so feels may suggest an alternative method but it should not be insisted upon.
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The inspection team should see that the geography teacher practices proper correlation and coordination of geography with other subjects and also with environment.
(ii) Scheme of Work:
Inspection team should see that the teacher prepares a quarterly and weekly scheme and such a scheme as shown in his diary is followed by him.
(iii) Teacher’s Diary:
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The inspection team should see if the geography teacher is maintaining his diary properly. Whether or not is he keeping a daily record of work done both in theory and practical, home work assigned etc? Has he noted down his time-table in diary? Is he having a good time-table? Is he teaching some other subjects etc.?
(iv) Text Books and Library Books:
Are the students using approved and standard text books? What types of books are available in library? Are the students using library books?
(vi) Stock Registers:
Maintenance of stock registers is one of the duties of geography teacher and inspection team is expected to see that various stock registers are being maintained properly, accurately and regularly.
It would not be improper if the inspection team carries out the physical verification of some items and find out for themselves if the actual stock agrees with the balance shown in the stock register. The checking of stock register includes the checking of requirements register and the preparation of indents etc.
(vii) Class work and Home work of Students:
It can easily be seen from the note books maintained by the students. The inspection team should satisfy itself that the amount of written work done by the students is sufficient. Practical note books and assignments have been checked properly and regularly by the teacher and the mistakes have been pointed out to the students.
(viii) Geography Library and Geography Museum:
The importance of geography library and geography museum for teaching of geography is given elsewhere in the book.
The inspection team writes carrying out the inspection of geography department in a school should find if a geography library and geography museum of some good standard exist in the school?
Is the school library being used properly by the students? Are there arrangements for regular issue and return of books from geography library? What method is used by geography teacher to satisfy him that his students regularly devote some time to the study of library books?
(ix) Extra-curricular Activities:
The existence of a geography club is a school provides an opportunity for carrying out extracurricular activities. Inspection team should report, whether a geography club exists? What are the activities of geography club? How many tours, excursions etc. have been arranged?
How many of such excursions, tours were arranged to visit places of geographical interest? Has the school arranged any fair during the year? How many films/ slide shows were arranged during the year? Have the students contributed any good charts/models during the year? Have any debate/declamation/paper reading contest/ quiz contest etc. arranged?
The inspection team should also ask for the record of all such activities carried out by the school during the year.
In addition to carrying out the inspection the inspection team is expected to give some constructive suggestions to the geography teacher for all the activities for making improvements in geography teaching in schools.
Such suggestions should not be forced on geography teacher and only those of these suggestions be implemented by the geography teacher which are likely to bring about a qualitative, change in geography teaching.